Labor Day Facts And Statistics: The Gender Wage Gap (Slideshow)

As Labor Day approaches and we all reflect on the work we and others do, it's worth keeping in mind how fairly we are compensated for that work, and who is a position to change things for the better.

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Source: National Committee On Pay Equity

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Source: National Committee On Pay Equity

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The main image for this post originally appeared in LIFE.com's "LIFE Goes to Work" gallery.

Comments

[blarneydude]

04:37 PM on 09/07/2011

There is an easy explanation for every slide. And no, The Current Oppression of Women doesn't figure in any of the explanations. (Although the historic situation does; that gap will disappear with time, no other change needed.)

I believe commenters below have captured most of it, so I won't belabor.

[srooge]

11:03 PM on 09/05/2011

God bless America, and God bless the fact that the White American male still calls the shots.

[James L Houston]

09:54 PM on 09/05/2011

Except the pay gap isn't necessarily a discrimination issue. Women tend to work different jobs, different amounts ect then men.

For example there are far more men in "death" professions, as in jobs with a high risk of death and mutilation. Hence why men disproportionately make up the numbers of workplace deaths and injuries. Hazard pay is a huge part of the Pay Gap.

The other is career locations. With men more cloistered in the private sector and women more cloistered in the public sector.

[davidqtn]

06:19 PM on 09/05/2011

Total BS. I like Huffington Post, but I hate it when they make stuff up.

[King Provenance]

05:06 PM on 09/05/2011

Those that start with "Ifs" are not facts.

[N Timothy Aho]

11:47 AM on 09/05/2011

What is the prescription beyond the Lilly Ledbetter Act AND special status for women-owned businesses?

Dr. NT: Take a couple courses in Statistics and the ethical use thereof and call me in the morning (or rolll over and tap me on the shoulder)

just kidding on that last part

[PitBull6]

11:14 AM on 09/05/2011

And in other obvious news, minor league baseball players make less than those in the MLB.

[mdipary2004]

05:21 PM on 09/05/2011

I make less then the women in the WNBA

[PitBull6]

11:19 AM on 09/06/2011

Yes perhaps. But then again, from what I heard just recently, probably not by much. ...because relatively few people watch it.

[Randybostonterrier]

11:02 AM on 09/05/2011

I'd have to disagree there is a wage gap due to gender. If you are a useless non productive employee just be chummy with everyone and BS your way through the workday putting on the team player speal, these are the people who get the raises, the bosses pets.

[mdipary2004]

06:13 PM on 09/04/2011

If woman actual made less then men then our workforce would be about 95% woman and 5% men.
If women actually made less then men who would you hire.
Think for yourselfs and dont bye into the hatred ommited by a group with an agenda

[MIvoter1231]

10:28 PM on 09/05/2011

Been on the receiving end of less pay for equal work and had more experience. It's not fun, and frankly not worth suing over. I'd spend more in lawyers' fees than I'd recoup.

[Targa3141]

02:47 AM on 09/06/2011

Your story is more important than a pile o' ol' "data"!

[mdipary2004]

06:02 PM on 09/04/2011

As GaryNOVA stated where's the mens section huffpost? sexism is a two way street!
I agree with him, why cant we have a men and womans section or would that be to fair and equall

[badbadbear123]

12:36 PM on 09/05/2011

no cant do that. because the fair and equal only works when it benefits women. *cue* "oh, you men have it so tough, blah blah blah." ----the auto response anytime women are challenged on their sexism parading under the guise of equality

[angelcakesinc]

12:18 AM on 09/06/2011

You want to know where the men's section is? Look at every other section out there that isn't specifically labeled for women. Then you'll have your answer.

[Targa3141]

02:48 AM on 09/06/2011

Those sneaky men! Always trying to put one over on us!

[mdipary2004]

10:03 AM on 09/06/2011

Where can I find the section on Mens Health on the Huffington Post I want to look at the section on testicular cancer. OOOO thats right there is no mens section at Huffington Post

[mdipary2004]

05:51 PM on 09/04/2011

If woman want to work and have carreas then go ahead. Let the father be the primary care takers. Lets not forget if a diforce is in the future dad will end up with custody because he is the primary caretaker, so there is no reason for names later. I want to be home with my kids I work 20 hours a week by choice my husband works 60 to 80 hours a week Becareful what you wish for you might get it

[Wonder Woman2]

11:41 AM on 09/05/2011

Women can and do work and raise families. It's not either/or. many of us spend years getting an education so we can be productive employees.

So its okay to pay women less for working the same hours her entire life simply because she has children? 1 out of every 5 women does not have children.

[mdipary2004]

05:02 PM on 09/05/2011

Mom and dad you mean.
evony

[Wonder Woman2]

02:50 PM on 09/04/2011

Good slides -

[suzee q]

01:59 PM on 09/04/2011

I want to run for office. And I'm a woman. Who wants to help?

[mdipary2004]

06:08 PM on 09/04/2011

ask Sarha Palin and all the other female politicians
are you sugesting you cant because you are a woman
rotflmao

[suzee q]

11:50 AM on 09/05/2011

Nope. I'm saying that based on the income disparity and lack of women in Congress and Governers, I'd like to change that. It's that simple.

[Wonder Woman2]

11:42 AM on 09/05/2011

Many states have seminars to help women who want to run for office. Not just run but manage campaigns and participate fully in the entire process.

[suzee q]

11:52 AM on 09/05/2011

I had no idea... Thanks for the info.

[immunostudent]

12:47 PM on 09/04/2011

Kids are the reason. Men have them without affecting their job much, when women have them they're the ones who end up responsible for the care and there's little patience for that at work.

The last two jobs I had were sad examples of this. I have my PhD in Biology and in the department I worked, all the heads of labs, PIs, that were men were married with children, and all the women PIs were unmarried with no children. When I changed jobs I was excited to work for a woman who had two young children and her own lab, turns out she brought the kids into the biohazard lab in the evenings so she could do more work and had beds set up in her office.

So what I got out of my PhD is either don't have children or have them live a miserable existence if you still want them. Until we figure out how to make jobs more friendly to women in child bearing years they're going to continue to fall behind. Companies however, would rather lay off women than let them work part time for a few years while children are young.

[craichead2011]

01:51 PM on 09/04/2011

You leave out the obvious option of starting your family with a man who will be expected to stay home with the kids while you work. That's what your male counterparts are doing with wives. Funny that you don't consider this option.

In my experience women don't "end up" responsible for the care as much as they insist on it.

[mdipary2004]

05:38 PM on 09/04/2011

Tell your husband to stay home with the kids. He can be the primary care taker, while you work 60 to 80 hours a week

[craichead2011]

06:20 AM on 09/04/2011

I guess that's the downside to having an overwhelming advantage in family court.

When a man has kids he can't afford he's a deadbeat. When a woman does it she's some kind of hero.

[njgal4obama]

08:52 AM on 09/04/2011

When a man can't afford his kids, he simply stops sending money and says, waah, waah, poor me. I can't afford to send $. Boo hoo. Somebody's gonna call me a name. But basically, he is free to pursue any kind of life he wants to completely unencumbered, as is evidenced by Rep. Joe Walsh, who has failed to pay his ex-wife over $100,000 in child support, yet has $ to campaign and live the lavish life of a Congressman.

When a woman can't afford her kids, she's gotta pull double or triple duty, because SHE, unlike the man in this scenario, feels compelled to ensure that her kids don't go to bed hungry, or that they have a bed to climb into at all.

So who's the hero and who's the deadbeat?

I stand by my post.

[Randybostonterrier]

10:56 AM on 09/04/2011

Minus the college stink I work a full time and part time job, the economy and inflation stink so I have to do this. Wow, what a thrill. At least back in the 1950s people had one job and more free time off. I worked 70-75 the last two weeks because of my full time job having overtime. It's a great life isn't it?